After The Fall
by Ichihime Kurosaki
Summary: They both plummeted. There was nothing, no one, to rely on. They were supposed to be a team and be able to get through the obstacles that were thrown at them. Instead, they drifted apart because they couldn't handle the pain. They didn't know how to. They lived for each other but, now, after the fall... are they still the center of each other's universe? "Be my rock, Orihime." R


**After The Fall…**

**Author's Note: **I listened to two songs by the _Cinematic Orchestra_ and two others by _Mikky Ekko_ while writing this and loved it. Not my inspiration but it went nicely with this fanfic. I would recommend _**'To Build A Home'**_ by The Cinematic Orchestra and _**'We Must Be Killers'**_ by Mikky Ekko. I would do what I did and that was to play something else with the music. It was _**Rainy Mood**_. Play one of the two songs while playing this and it sounds beautiful but you have to lower the volume on Rainy Mood. It's on YouTube by a person that calls himself "_deadhobo_", Rainy Mood that is.

**Disclaimer:** Bleach and its entirety belong to Tite Kubo.

* * *

_**~X~**_

_"After the fall, are you still the center of my universe?"_

_**~X~**_

* * *

It was that day again…

It was a day to mourn and try to help each other see the brighter side to this catastrophe. It was the day where they all found a reason to hate each other and themselves. It was a day where they cursed violently and drank themselves – nearly to death – to try and ease their pain. It was the day they hated that they were stuck on Earth, stuck in Hell, stuck in a place where nothing ever went right. And when something went right, the happiness and cheer was always taken away from them.

It was that day… The fourth year of a tragic moment in the history of all these people who were connected by fate. They were connected by a string of events, happy and sad. Each and every little thing one did affected the others on some way, shape, or form. They could not breathe the same without each other. They could not date without the moms and dads and sisters and brothers deeming the person of their choice worth enough to be amongst their beloved friend. They weren't allowed to slip into old and dangerous habits. If that ever happened then someone would be there with a slap, a bottle of vodka, and an open heart and open ears.

It was also the day something great, even greater than that before came to be. The birth of two very important people…

They brought on a new wave of hope and pain and happiness and so many different emotions that it wasn't possible to think that all of them could be within this group of magnificent people. They were all there through it all. They all endured the pain together and shared each other's grief and burdens… This group of special individuals…

* * *

_**~X~**_

* * *

Tatsuki Arisawa: A strong mother hen with a spitfire attitude…

_"Tatsuki… I miss her… Her kindness, her stubbornness, her everything! Tatsuki-chan… I can't do it! I - it was my fault and he hates me now because of it. I killed her and she loved him. And he loved her. It's always my fault!" Orihime sobbed into Tatsuki's chest. _

_"It's alright. We'll find a way. And on that day, we'll play the games she liked and we'll eat her favorite food in her memory, but Orihime I won't let you sink in a hollow shell and wither away. We will _**_all _**_get through this, together… Come on, you have two children who need you yet… Let's go. They're waiting…" she whispered as she held her best friend, rubbing her back. _

**.**

Rukia Kuchiki: The "little" sister who prefers brute force over an oral lecture.

_"Ichigo, get up."_

_She heard a grunt and pillow was thrown at her face._

_"Ichigo… I'm not going to repeat myself. Get the hell out of bed. Now!" she said in a threatening manner, in a voice that promised pain if her orders weren't taken seriously. _

_Another pillow was thrown at her._

_'That's it…' she thought angrily._

_She pounced on Ichigo and punched him in the face. When he moved to push her from him, she simply jumped off of his stomach and landed gracefully besides him. She then kicked him out of bed and stood above his fallen form with her hands on her hips. _

_"You need to stop wallowing in your own self-pity. It's not healthy and you have people who need you. Stop acting so damn selfish already! It wasn't just _**_you_**_that got hurt. It was _**_all of us_**_! We all feel the pain that comes with something like this, but Ichigo… Ichigo you have to move on," Rukia concluded softly._

_"You mean I should just forget her?!" Ichigo roared in an accusatory voice. _

_"No… No forget, never forget. Never that. But simply… Live for her… Every day." She said with a sad smile._

_Ichigo looked down as tears streamed down his face… _

_'Thank you,' he thought. He looked up at Rukia to see her eyes gleaming with tears as well._

_"You know, you're like the extra sister I never wanted or particularly asked for," he said._

_She smirked down at him and said: "Baka, I know."_

**.**

Uryū Ishida: The rival of a brother who has a way with words.

_"You know, Kurosaki… The ones who shun those who only seek to help may not want the attention and help, but crave it. But in the long run it may not be there… We give and expect nothing in return. We love and hope to be loved back. One falls and we either all rush to catch them or we all fall with them. And you know... we never really know how one may feel when the carpet is pulled from beneath their feet until it happens to us. So, that's why we must help each other get back up again. It's the least we can do because we never know when the people in our lives will be gone and the _**_both _**_of us know that all too well… But, who I am to interfere in your personal affairs? All I can do is offer food for thought."_

**.**

Yasutora "Chad" Sado: The gentle giant and patient listener.

_He listened as Ichigo poured his heart out to his best friend and gave him a pat on the back when he was finished. He spoke few words but it was all Ichigo needed._

_He stayed with Orihime to make sure she didn't inflict harm upon herself and held her as she cried. He picked her up when she fell asleep from exhaustion and put her in bed, tucking the broken healer in. He put her favorite stuffed animal, Enraku, next to her and called Ichigo to come look after her. He waited with her daughter and son until Ichigo showed up… _

**.**

Renji Abarai: The loyal and sometimes wise, but argumentative, stray dog.

_"Ichigo… I talked to her… She didn't say that she didn't want to see you. She said she needed time, but I think she's just scared because she thinks she let you down and hurt you. She holds herself responsible; you both do. Maybe you should just take the initiative. Be a man!" Renji encouraged his sulking friend._

_"Renji, you moron, shut up."_

_"Hey! I was trying to help you out!" Renji defended. "Not my fault you don't have a pair balls!"_

_"What did you say?" Ichigo sneered._

_"I said go get your woman and grow some!" Renji retorted._

_"She's not my woman!"_

_"Anymore unless you go to her!"_

_There began the fray that ended in Renji successfully throwing Ichigo out of his apartment and on his way to his home. _

_"See? I always get what I want," he smirked in triumph as Ichigo walked to Orihime's. _

**.**

Keigo Asano: The energetic, optimistic little kid.

_"Come on, Orihime-chan! Dance with me! Yippee!" He grabbed Orihime's hands and begun to swing her around. A surprised squeal escaped her lips. The sun felt great on their skin and there was an excellent breeze. The two held on to each other's hands and swung around with no inhibitions. A small giggle erupted from Orihime's mouth. _

_Everyone had already been a bit tense and nervous since it was the first time they had met as a big group since _**_that _**_day… It was also close to the anniversary… But when Orihime laughed everyone snapped their heads up. _

_She smiled and began laughing as Keigo hooked arms with her at the elbow and swung them in a wide circle. She extended her left arm and threw her head back, letting out a care-free laugh. Keigo swung her around and round until he accidently let her go… She fell on her bum and looked shocked. _

_Keigo screamed: "Orihime-chan! Ah! Ichigo-kun, it was an accident!"_

_Ichigo was up and on his feet, helping Orihime up and kicking Keigo in the face to shut him up. _

_"Baka," he muttered as he sat back down._

_Tatsuki walked up to him and crouched down so only he could hear what she had to say… _

_"You know, Asano, I think you finally did something useful with your hyper activeness…"_

**.**

Mizuiro Kojima: The friend who looks like he isn't paying attention but is…

_Mizuiro watched as Ichigo avoided talking to Orihime or staying in any conversation that was related to her, and vice-versa. He watched as he pretended to be busy with his phone from the corner of the living room. _

_He looked at the scene silently as Ichigo walked down the hall way to where _**_her _**_room was and put his hand on the handle. He sighed and turned around, walking through the middle of all conversation and activities going on, walking out onto the balcony._

_Mizuiro walked out after him and stood next to him._

_"You're in a great deal of pain and you don't know how to handle it. That's probably why you bring yourself to do something but change your mind at the very last second. Like Inoue-san."_

_"It – it's not Inoue. It's Ku -" Ichigo started to say._

_"Hm?" _

_"Nothing. What did you want?" Ichigo asked._

_"To tell you that maybe you should go inside and I'm not talking about back inside the house."_

**.**

Ichigo Kurosaki: The first guardian strawberry.

_"I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you. I'm sorry that you are in pain because I wasn't there and I'm sorry that you had to witness her die." _

**.**

Orihime Inoue: The gentle, healing princess.

_"It was my fault. I'm so weak! I couldn't protect her! I couldn't even save her… What good are my powers if I can't save my loved one?"_

* * *

_**~X~**_

All of their personalities blended and showed in different way when it happened. Outsiders would call it Fate. They would say that it happened to bring them closer and so they would value the value of life. So they would cherish it…

Others would say that it was exactly what it was: a tragedy.

* * *

**.**

_**~X~**_

**.**

* * *

Nearing the fourth anniversary he decided to go with her. He decided that he would be strong for her. It was time he did as he promised… It wasn't like their relationship was strained but it certainly wasn't as it was before. He let almost seven months pass by without seeing her on a weekly basis. That was in the first year and when he finally decided that he would stay and he would be there for her, she had already changed beyond repair. But that was only the diagnostic; an evaluation.

She was troubled and in a great deal of pain but together, she slowly came around…

He was around when he got the chance. He helped and did his part with Tamotsu and Amaterasu. And was now waiting for Orihime to come out of the bathroom from her shower.

He stood up from the couch immediately when she exited the bedroom…

"Hi," she said with a small smile on her face. A smile that made his heart race…

"Hey… How have you been?" Ichigo asked casually.

He had not seen nor spoken to the gentle healer recently in quite some time. Well, personally, at least. Nothing outside of taking care of the twins and work and pleasantries. Nothing about them. They were not living; they merely existed for the sake two little people.

To be honest, he had distanced himself from his friends to deal with everything that was going on in the Material World and in the Soul Society. He was still coming to terms with the biggest pain; the largest wound in his life by far. It was the worst type of hurt anyone and everyone had to go through.

"As fine as I can be. I have to hold on, you know? Stay strong," Orihime replied with her eyes downcast. "What about you? How are _**you**_ doing?"

Ichigo frowned at her response. This wasn't Orihime. She should have pumped her fist into the air, beamed at him and said: "I'm great! As healthy as a horse!"

"I'm dealing with everything… processing it," Ichigo said in a low voice. "Mourning and trying to find a way to move on, and hold on at the same time. Good to keep my life going forward but holding her close to my heart, at the same time."

Orihime nodded and opened her mouth to speak but Ichigo cut her off.

"How – how have they been?" he asked tentatively. She blinked at his because she wasn't sure if he was referring to the twins or if he was talking about something else completely.

"The nightmares," he clarified.

"They're coming back worse than Hueco Mundo," she said in a small voice, making Ichigo sigh and run his hands through his hair.

"What about you?" she redirected his question.

"Don't worry about me. I sometimes talk to Rukia when she harasses me too much and I also talk to Toshiro and Renji," he replied, not wanting to make her stress even more.

She visibly deflated. It was like a slap across the face that he would choose them over her – or their other friends for that matter. Ichigo felt a pang in his chest as she sighed and a tense silence filled the air. He watched her and old desires flooded his senses; they clouded his brain. He wanted to reach out and pull her into his warmth. He wanted to embrace her and whisper soothing, sweet nothings into her ears. He wanted to hold her all night and kiss away her sorrows, but he knew he could not. It wasn't his place. He didn't have the right to. Not after all the pain he's caused her. He could count on both hands just many times he had failed her. How many promises he had broken…

"I have them every night. They're awful ad I hate myself more every day. For not being there, I despise myself. For running away like a coward, I loathe myself. For not enduring the pain with you… For breaking another promise to you… For being pathetic and weak -" Ichigo's rant was cut short by a soft shushing and a gentle, warm hand caressing his cheek.

"No, Ichigo. You are no coward. Nor weak or pathetic. You are… human. And because we are humans, we are bound to make mistakes and mess up because no one is perfect. It wasn't your fault. It wasn't a Hollow or anything you could fight," Orihime whispered as she swept Ichigo's hair out of his eyes. "It was a – it was a dr -"

Her voice became thick as her throat became constricted and a lump began to form Tears welled up in her eyes and she closed them as the water finally escaped the captivity of her eyes and streamed down her face.

"No, don't think about it," Ichigo said and pulled her into his arms. He tucked her head into the crook of his neck and rested his own head on hers. "Ssh, Hime. It's okay."

"You're always my rock, my foundation, the person I lean on, but who do you count on? You always have to put up with me and going through the pain on your own. It's not fair," she sobbed into his chest.

"I'm sturdy enough – strong. I have to be so that _**you **_have something to depend on and believe in," Ichigo replied in a husky whisper.

"It can't be like that… Ichigo, it doesn't matter how sturdy the structure looks, without a strong – steadfast – foundation, it _**will **_fall. You can't block us out… Everyone just wants to help. Your _**wife **_wants to help," she said looking up at him.

Ichigo didn't answer her. He looked around the living room of the house and sighed… He could still hear her giggling, her laughter as she played around the house. He could still see her dancing around the kitchen, as he made them lunch or a snack, singing along to a song only she could hear. Gracefully flitting and twirling, here and there. He could still her telling him that she loved him…

_"I love you!" She declared with a bright smile on her face as she twirled around the living room. _

"You know I can't… Not after my mom and -"

"I know. I do. And you know that Masaki-san gave up her life so you could live. She would have been so proud of you, just like I am. Like we all are, but Ichigo, you've been through too much to just hold it all in. More so than any of our friends… Masaki-san would have wanted you to find somebody that you could open up to. Someone that could touch your heart," Orihime said, intertwining their hands and looking down at her sock clad feet. "I'm trying, just like everyone else, to understand what you've been through so that I can be there for you. So that we can be a team…"

Ichigo studied her face as he thought of the right thing to say.

"You're possibly the only one out of our band of misfits who understands and has suffered even more. I was selfish and stupid. I still had a family while you had your brother torn from you and you relived and suffered through that pain ten times over. And still, I could never be strong for you! I would sulk and scowl and you would enter a room with a beautiful smile and light up the room. .." Ichigo threaded their fingers together and lifted them to his chest. "And I've realized that the sun can't shine if there's rain and cloud in the way. And I need my sun to shine. There's my foundation."

She was his pillar His ray of light in the darkness. She became his sole reason to fight; purpose to live. She gave him hope. Something to look forward to each and every day. She gave him semblance to peace of mind and sanity. She kept him calm. She made him happy again.

Orihime gave him his smile back.

"I have something, someone to lean on. The reason I don't give in and give up is because of her. The heart of my world. The center of my universe… you," Ichigo whispered.

After his mom died, he knew he wouldn't ever be able to replace her love. No one could compare to his mother. He was stuck in a stupor that seemed to take over his entire life and never ended. He was stuck in a personal storm. But… then Rukia came along and dried up the rain; it finally went away that rain. She made things right in a way. And he was so starved for love that he thought it would grow from platonic to romantic. Yet, when Orihime came bustling into his life, everything changed and he fell hard for the young healer.

She brought out the sun and kept the rain away… she kept his mind, soul, and heart out in the open and in her warmth. She kept him in her ever radiating sun, a beam of sunshine – happiness. She kept him dry. There were no more clouds…

She also gave him a resolve. He fought to keep the clouds away from the sun just to see his ray of sunshine every day. He protected her and she healed him. And that was vice versa at times, too.

"I don't know if I believe that anymore, Ichigo," Orihime whispered through her tears.

"It's true. It has always been you, Hime. You were always enough… Always," he replied sincerely and kissed her hand, still entwined in his. He held their entwined hands close to his chest, close to his heart, and rested his forehead against hers.

"I'm sorry, Hime… I'm so sorry," he apologized for everything.

"It's fine. You're here now… That's all that matters, Ichi," she murmured. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

They closed their eyes and the gap between them…

Renewing their love with a kiss was all it took.

_**~X~**_

They broke apart and just stood in the middle of the room, content to be in each other's embrace.

"Come on, we have to go visit our daughter… Our baby girl turns eight today," Ichigo whispered.

Orihime nodded and stepped out of the embrace to go get her purse and the twins…

About a half an hour later found the small family walking up to a small tombstone that had a plethora of stuffed animals, toys, flowers, pictures and other things around it. They could tell that their friends and family had already been there earlier in the day… In front was a picture of Orihime, Ichigo, and their baby girl: Keiko Masaki Kurosaki…

Tamotsu and Amaterasu ran to the grave and squealed: "Nee-chan!"

They twins kneeled and began talking to their older sister like they had seen their mother do many times before.

Orihime turned away from the scene and Ichigo pulled her into his arms. He kissed her head and rubbed her back. He traced imaginary lines on her arm and felt her tremble.

"Come on, let's pray," Ichigo whispered.

Ichigo and Orihime slowly made their way to the grave and on it read:

_Keiko Masaki Kurosaki:_

_March 14, 2009_

_to_

_March 14, 2013_

_"Beautiful and loving daughter, granddaughter, niece, and sister-to-be."_

Orihime slowly lowered herself onto the ground behind their children and nervously began to fidget with her wedding and engagement ring. Ichigo stood behind Orihime and closed his eyes. It had been about eight months since he had last been here. It was on his own time he was there. Not when the others came as a group… four months after her seventh birthday.

He placed his hand on Orihime's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Hey, Kei… Happy birthday sweetheart. Eight… You would have been eight today and you probably would have made me and your grandpa something… The four of you… And you would have come to the hospital and demanded, in that high-pitched voice of yours, for me. I still remember the first time you did that. You nearly got me in trouble," Ichigo stopped to chuckled and wipe some tears. "I remember everything about you and I'll never forget… I remember that you and I stopped your mother from feeding us food that was too weird. And I was so happy when I learned that you hated red bean paste. Your Mommy was disappointed. You loved to dance and sing 'the sunflower song'. And every Sunday we would wake up really early and surprise Mommy with chocolate chip pancakes…

"I loved you and I love you still. I will always love you… And no matter how many years pass, you will always be my baby girl… Always."

Ichigo stepped forward and removed something from his jacket. A heart-shaped locket. He opened it up and looked at the pictures on the inside.

On the left was a picture of him and Orihime. On the right was a picture of Orihime – about seven and a half months pregnant – with Keiko and him curled up next to her. Orihime and Keiko were asleep while Ichigo was staring at them with love and adoration in his eyes.

He walked up to the small tombstone and draped the necklace over it.

"Happy Birthday, Keiko. And… do me a favor… Look out for them, will you? With Grandma… Look after you baby sister and brother."

Orihime looked at the Ichigo and her heart swelled with love for her husband…

She closed her eyes and thought back to the day that changed their lives…

**.**

_**~X~**_

**.**

_It was about 8:45 when Orihime waddled into the kitchen, the aroma of chocolate chip pancakes filling her nose. She walked into the kitchen and saw her husband and their, now, four-year-old daughter. The little girl was the spitting image of Ichigo with Orihime's smile and big, doe, ashen grey eyes. She had a combination of both parents' attitudes – but for the better. She was kind, gentle and sweet, but had her father's fierceness and stubborn feats. Currently she had on pajamas and her hair was combed into two pig tails. She turned and saw her mother and gave her the biggest smile ever. _

_She hopped off the stool she was standing on and ran to greet her mother, who was supporting her back with her hands. She hugged her mother as best she could, with Orihime almost being eight months pregnant and all. _

_"Mommy! Guess how old Kei-chan is today? Guess!" she said while rocking back and forth on her heels._

_"How many?" Orihime humored the little girl. _

_The little girl held up five fingers and said: "Four!"_

_"Something's not quite right there Kei," Ichigo chuckled._

_"What Strawberry-papa?" Keiko asked innocently._

_A nerve popped in Ichigo's head at her name for him._

_"It's not Strawberry-papa or Ichi-pa… It's Daddy. And you're not holding up the right number of fingers. You might confuse Mommy." Ichigo said._

_Keiko turned back to Orihime and Ichigo turned back to the pancakes on the stove. Keiko studied her hand and then smiled as if a light bulb went off. It probably did in her mind anyways… She put one finger down and repeated her age._

_"That's my girl," Ichigo said from the stove as he watched her from the corner of his eye. _

_"Yup! That's right. I'm so proud of you, sweetie," Orihime cooed. She placed a kiss on Keiko's head and walked over to Ichigo. He faced her as he leaned against the counter and smirked. _

_"Well look at who decided to get up," he teased. She pouted and feigned a hurt expression. He chuckled and gently pulled her to him. He gave her a kiss full on the lips and rubbed her stomach._

_"And the devils? How are they?" he asked her, referring to the twins. _

_"Not kicking anymore, at least. And they aren't devils, Ichi-kun. They're angels!" she said with the upmost conviction. _

_He sighed and wrapped his arms around her. She placed her hand over his and melted in his embrace. This was how things were supposed to be… all the time. Keiko stared at her parents and even though she was young she could tell that they were madly in love. She looked at the scene as if she completely understood everything. Things were finally going right again… and she loved it. Keiko smiled and walked up to them, wrapping her tiny arms their legs. _

_Ichigo looked down at his daughter and smiled tenderly. He bent down to pick her up. Throwing her in the air and laughing as she screamed in elation, he said: "I love you guys, you know that?"_

_She giggled as he put her down…_

_"Kei? Tell Mommy what you told me about her stomach…" Ichigo said, trying to hide his mirth._

_"Oh yeah! Mommy! You look like you ate a really big watermelon and it got stuck!" Keiko said and pointed to her stomach. She walked towards Orihime's stomach and placed a hand on either side, then backed away so her mother could see the size of said "watermelon"._

_"And of course you think that this is funny," Orihime said with a small smile as she looked at her husband who was shaking from trying to hold in his laughter… _

_Later, after breakfast, they discussed their plans for Keiko's birthday and the upcoming White Day…_

_"Well, Mommy and I have to go make your cupcakes and take the chocolate out of the freezer and put everything in a bag with the card I made and -"_

_"Kei-chan, it's not a surprise if you tell him, dear." Orihime said softly. _

_Keiko saluted her mother in understanding and turned to her father who was grabbing his keys and coat for work. _

_"Bye, Daddy!" she screamed as she ran to him. She jumped at him and he caught her mid-air. She placed a kiss on his cheek and smiled brightly at him, showing all of her little teeth. "I love you!"_

_He kissed her on the forehead and sat her down next to her mother. He chastely kissed Orihime and left a box that was wrapped in silver with a pink bow in top of the bookcase – out of the reach of Orihime and Keiko. _

_"When I get home, we will open your gifts," he said as he walked out of the house. "Bye girls! Love you!"_

_"Love you, too!" They yelled back._

_Keiko looked at her mother and said: "He loves me more!"_

_"No, he loves me more! We've been together for more than four years and I can remember all of them," Orihime countered._

_"No! He gets me ice cream!"_

_"Nani? What does ice cream have to do with love?"_

_Keiko gave Orihime a 'duh' look and said: "The more ice cream you get, the more love you have! Silly, Grandpa told me that!"_

_Ichigo chuckled and shook his head, exiting the house…_

_Nobody could have seen it coming…_

_It was the last breakfast they shared as a family. And no matter how many children they had, there would always be one person missing. It was the last time Keiko would tell her father 'I love you'. It was the last time they would call her 'Kei'. It was her last birthday with her family before she woke up in the Rukongai with no memories. It was their last morning together before tragedy struck and Keiko was ripped out of their lives…_

_**~X~**_

_Later that afternoon, Orihime texted Ichigo that she and Keiko were heading to the hospital. He texted back awhile later and told her it was alright, but told her to walk. He even told her that he had taken her keys so she _**_wouldn't _**_drive. _

_Around three, the girls began walking with their hands full of gifts. It was hot and Keiko was beginning to complain about Orihime walking so slowly and the heat._

_"I'm sorry, baby. Mommy can't move too fast with the watermelon," Orihime apologized._

_Keiko looked up at her mother and apologized for saying that. She ran to her mom and gave her a kiss on the belly._

_"I love you!" Keiko bounced. _

_Orihime smiled and Keiko turned around to keep walking. Orihime watched as Keiko skipped down the street. The little girl saw something colorful and yelled to her mother so she would notice it as well. _

_"Look, Mommy, a butterfly!" she yelled._

_Keiko took off running after the red, yellow, and purple creäture. She turned as it turned and jumped when it went flew higher. Orihime was struggling to keep up and called out to the little girl as she got closer to the street. _

_"Keiko! Don't play in the street! Stop!" Orihime cried out to the child. _

_The little girl turned around and smiled at her mother. She turned back around to look for the butterfly but it was gone… Keiko saw it above her head and jumped, dropping her bag, to get the butterfly. _

_Orihime called out to her again but she didn't listen. Just as she reached the end of the street, she doubled over in pain and let out a cry. She felt something wet in between her legs and looked over to Keiko, who was now safely on the other side of the street._

_Keiko looked up when she heard Orihime cry. She started to cross the street when she heard a strange sound and Orihime yell at her._

_"KEIKO!"_

_Keiko didn't know why her mother would yell like that, but when she did, Keiko stopped on the sidewalk. Orihime quickly tried to make her way to where her Kei was but was halted when she was seized with a sudden contraction. She groaned in pain. _

_"Kei, stay. Please. Keiko, Mommy's coming. Don't' move!" Orihime pleaded. _

_Orihime looked at the truck coming down the street and back at her daughter. She felt weak and the pain was killing her. But Keiko was her main concern right now…_

_"Keiko! Go back, honey! Go! Please," Orihime begged her, clutching her stomach. She looked down in between her legs and saw red, not what should have looked like pee. _

_Keiko saw her mother was in pain and just wanted to help. She was frozen in her spot when her mother screamed but the scream was overcome by a loud noise. A honking…_

_Orihime was breathing deeply and in her last attempt to get to Keiko, she fell. She screamed at Keiko. _

_"Mommy!" Keiko cried when she saw her mother fall. Keiko started running towards her mother. Orihime tried to get up, but it was too late. She screamed but Keiko couldn't hear her. Keiko turned to the sound of the horn and when she saw the truck coming at her, she stopped running._

_"AHH!"_

_"KEIKO!"_

_**~X~**_

_"Tell me what happened," Ichigo said calmly to the paramedics who wheeled in a man._

_"There was an accident. Near the park. Three females and this male. Two of the females died on impact. The female he hit and the woman in the car. The woman wasn't wearing her seatbelt. He's delusional, from blunt force trauma. He hit his head and is just shaken up but he has some minor wounds from the air bag that we are going to take care of. We're also going to check his ribs for bruising and cracks." The paramedic informed Ichigo as they rushed the man to the ER._

_"Okay. I'm going back to help the others," Ichigo said once he made sure they had everything under control. He missed the looks of pity in their eyes._

_Ichigo ran to the back to the where the other paramedics were pushing a gurney his way. His heart stopped when he saw familiar auburn hair._

_"Orihime!" He ran over to her but was stopped by a man he didn't know._

_"Let me go, dammit! She's my wife!" He roared and pushed past the man._

_"What the hell happened?!" He growled at the woman pushing the gurney. _

_"She's going into forced labor but because she fell and one of the babies kicked something wrong in their panic, it might be a possible miscarriage." The woman explained._

_"Where's the little girl? The four-year-old? A little girl?!" he yelled. _

_"Dead on arrival… I'm sorry, Dr. Kurosaki," the woman whispered. _

_Ichigo's whole world collapsed with those words and now he might lose his unborn children – maybe even his wife… Ichigo felt like _**_he _**_needed a doctor. Every breath he took hurt more and wasn't true! It couldn't be... Only this morning she was playing and dancing and laughing because she had turned four and today was her favorite holiday. No! No, it wasn't true! Please -_

_He looked down when Orihime squeezed his hand._

_"Ichigo, I -" she began but was cut off by a blood curdling scream._

_"She shouldn't be in that much pain. Hurry," the paramedic said urgently…_

_**~X~**_

_Later that night, Orihime gave birth to Tamotsu and Amaterasu. It should have been a happy moment. It should have been a time to rejoice but instead sobs were the only heard from the Kurosaki couple as they held onto each other. Their friends couldn't bring themselves to be happy for them as they were all at a loss. _

_The weeks that followed were hard… But they were given a piece of mind back when the man who killed their daughter was put in jail for being under the influence when driving, reckless endangerment, and murder. He was sentenced to 36 years in prison, due to reckless endangerment, man slaughter, DUI, and possession of illegal drugs, but the attorney who fought their case told them that he wouldn't be getting out after that with the illegal drugs they found in his apartment. _

_The funeral was hard and it seemed that the world grieved with them… _

_One night, Ichigo decided to stay up a little later than usual and found a picture in the living room, under the couch. He lifted it up to the light to get a better view._

_It was a picture… _

_A drawing from his Kei._

_And in the corner, it said something that gave him strength to go on, even after the fall…_

_._

_**~X~**_

_._

Orihime opened her eyes and tugged Ichigo to kneel next to her so they could pray for their loss. He smiled at her and they began to pray as a family.

It was a gloomy day but something changed that day. It had always been a gloomy and depressing day, for the past four years. But now… they felt as if something was different… Like they could start living again, for her sake… They owed it to Masaki and Sora and Keiko. They owed it to themselves…

Orihime looked up when she was done and placed the flowers she bought on the tombstone. She kissed her children and looked up at Ichigo…

She smiled and held out her hand…

He grasped it and tugged her to him, planting a kiss on her lips…

"I love you," he said.

"I love you, too," she said, nuzzling his into his neck.

Ichigo looked up at the sky as the sun finally came out and shined down on them…

.

**~X~**

.

_Eye-catch:_

_Daddy!_

_I love you very much! I am super glad that you are my berry-pa! Guess what? Grandma visited me and said she would see me soon! She said live on and that she loves you. I love you too!_

_Keiko_

.

**~X~**

.

**Mistakes will be fixed later.**

**And if you lovely readers can stop by my profile page and scroll down right before you hit my stories and such, there is this little section entitled HELP. If you guys can take a second to read over that really quick and see if you know what stories I am talking about it would be amazing! Just PM if you know :)**

**I.K.**


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